The Dragon Knight
by Ceu Praca
Summary: Tannin Starflare is the Dragon Knight, and he encounters an aeralfos. 'Nuff said. Takes place in the Dragon Series, during "Allegiance" and "Rauta Aave."


Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda, nor anything recognizable. Duh. I DO own Tannin Starflare, the Dragon Sword, Amur Kao, the legend of the Dragon Knight, and Starflare's entire story. Do not use any of them without my permission.

Dedicated to God Almighty, my savior, and to RedNemi, for her pure awesomeness and exemplary work at being an extreme Grammar Nazi. I owe my good grammar and punctuation to her. Thanks, Nemi. :o)

A/N: This happens after the events of _Dragon Sword_ and _Allegiance_, and it happens before and during the events of _Rauta Aave_. This has mild spoilers for _Rauta Aave_, but nothing too serious.

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**The Dragon Knight**

I heard Link's shout of warning, but it was too late; the creature slammed into me, gripping me by the throat. I struggled to summon my power, to burn the beast into nothing, but just as the first few flames began to appear, it raised it's sword and plunged it deep into me. I stiffened as I felt pain flooding through my chest into the rest of me, then a black veil overpowered me, sending me into oblivion.

Oddly enough, the pain was suddenly gone, and I forced my eyes open, not remembering when I had even closed them, only to see the grimy hilt of the creature's blade. _Wait a second…how am I not dead?_ I tried to move, but it was as if I'd been frozen solid. Movement was impossible, but I could see that the blade had penetrated my chest, piercing my heart. _Okay, if I just got a sword through my heart, how am I still alive? Check that: how am I even thinking clearly? What the heck is going on?_ Again, I tried to move, but my limbs were immobilized. Then I realized something. I wasn't breathing.

I panicked for a moment, but, despite the fact that my lungs weren't working, I still wasn't dead. It was like my mind was working, but my body had been put in stasis. Then I heard a faint, whispering voice in my ear. It was hazy, like someone was placing their hand over their mouth while they talked, but, gradually, it cleared enough for me to make out the simple, clear voice of a child.

"You are confused, I would assume. Calm your mind and rest."

My eyes worked, oddly enough, and I glanced to my right, seeing a young girl wearing green who knelt beside me. I frowned, trying again to move, but I was still frozen. "Saria?" I asked, somehow able to speak, though my voice was a mere whisper.

She smiled, placing her hand on my shoulder. "Do not be afraid, Tannin. You are in the Sacred Realm, in the Chamber of the Sages."

"How come I'm not dead? And why can't I move?"

"All will be explained."

"Explain it now," I hissed, attempting for the fourth time to make my frozen limbs cooperate.

The Sage of Shadow, Impa, materialized behind her, kneeling to place her hand on my wrist. Her scarlet gaze roved over me, then she reached out and touched the hilt of the sword. Instantly, I felt an icy rigor course through me, but, strangely enough, it didn't hurt. She yanked the blade out of me, causing my body to jolt, then she withdrew. The next to appear was Nabooru, the Sage of Spirit.

She, too, knelt beside me, a smirk on her features. "Made quite a mess of yourself, didn't you, Tannin?"

"It was the flying lizalfo's fault." I grimaced as a fiery shock enveloped me. "What's happening?"

"Stop talking, Dragon Knight, or I'll take away your ability to speak," she muttered before ripping my shirt off and placing her hand on my chest. A golden glow spread from her and ran down her arm, flowing into me, and I gasped as my lungs abruptly began functioning again. I felt power surging through my muscles, and I clenched one fist and growled as pain flooded my chest.

If you've never had some crazy Gerudo lady piece your heart back together after it's been stabbed with a blade, then I would advise you to never try it. Because it _hurt_. I screamed as my heart abruptly began beating strongly again, then, with a final burst of agony, Nabooru drew back and the light disappeared.

All six sages were suddenly standing in a circle around me, and Impa reached down and grabbed me by the arm, pulling me to my feet. I staggered into her as I tried to gain some semblance of balance, then a hand supported me. I glanced to my left, seeing Ruto. She smiled. "Try not to get yourself killed again, Tannin."

"'Again?'" I echoed, confused.

Rauru snorted. "You took a blade through the heart. If that is not death, then I do not know what is."

"Go hug a ReDead."

"You are highly disrespectful, Dragon Knight," he muttered, taking a step back to stand on his golden pedestal, glaring at me.

I pointedly turned my back on him and faced Impa. "Why have you guys spared my life?"

"Hyrule will have need of you again," she replied. "though not for many years. We will send you back to the realm of mortals when it is time. For now, we each have a message for you."

"Can I skip the message from Rauru?"

Saria chuckled, shaking her head. She smiled up at me, and I knelt to be at eye level with her. She reached out and took my left hand in hers, tracing my palm lightly, then she turned my hand over. I froze; the Triforce was gone! Before, there had been a clear, golden outline of the ancient power that had glowed dimly, but now the skin was ordinary. There was no sign of the Triforce.

I gave her a questioning look, and she shrugged. "You died. So the Triforce of Power left you. Tragically, that means big problems for Hyrule. The only people who were there when you died were you and Link. Link already has one part of the Triforce, which means your part would return to it's previous owner. To the person who wielded it before you did."

"Ganondorf," I hissed. "My death means his return?"

"Sadly, yes. He already _has_ returned, and the Hyrule you know will eventually be destroyed by his hand."

"Then return me! Allow me to stop it!"

Saria's eyes glimmered, but she shook her head. "I cannot. It is not your time. Though the dark lord may win one battle, he will never win the war. There _will_ be someone to stop him. Always."

"Then why tell me this?"

"To prepare you. When you _do_ return, things will have changed. The Hyrule you know will be no more. The land you will encounter will be different, and you will have to adapt."

"So I _am_ going to get back, then?"

"Yes. As Impa said, Hyrule will need you again. In the meantime, my message to you is that we sages have used our power to spare an old friend of yours. You will have need of him. Your horse, Tempest"

"Thank you."

"I will warn you that nothing will be as it was."

Something terrible occurred to me. "What of Link and Sheik? The knights? What happens to them?"

Saria looked down for a moment. "Link is no longer in Hyrule. As we speak, two hundred years have already passed. He is gone. He may return, he may not. There is no way to tell. As for the Hero's Shadow…well, I would assume that he is wherever Link is."

"And the knights?" I growled. Her sudden silence scared me, and I took a pace forward. "What happens to the knights?!" I roared.

"Ganondorf kills them," she murmured. "Rauru has forseen it."

"_No_! That can't happen! _Rauru!_" I whirled around and bashed my fist into his face; the blow passed right through, causing me to lose my balance, but I recovered quickly, hurling a barrage of flames at him.

"Tannin, _stop_!" he demanded, but I didn't listen, pounding him furiously with wave after wave of fire, until I eventually sagged to my knees, feeling drained both physically and emotionally.

"You…you lie," I whispered. "They aren't dead. The knights don't die. Please tell me it isn't true."

Nabooru pulled me to my feet, shaking her head at Rauru. He glowered at us both, then vanished. One by one, they all disappeared, until I was standing alone with the Sage of Spirit. She sighed, her golden eyes fixed on me. "I'm sorry, Tannin. There's honestly no way to know whether or not it's true. Predictions like that are often inaccurate. There is a chance that Rauru is wrong."

"How long do I have to remain in this realm?"

"Until the hour is right. You will be needed again, but not yet. Eventually, the Triforce of Power will return to you."

"When? After all of Hyrule has been destroyed?" I asked bitterly.

"When you go back to the mortal realm, there will be a new hero. He is actually one of Link's descendants."

"Saria mentioned that each of you had a message."

Nabooru smiled slightly. "Your armor and shield were hidden in the Temple of Time. Skull Kid can show you where they are."

"I thought Skull Kid only lived within the Lost Woods. How could he be in the Temple of Time?"

"Like I said, Tannin: Hyrule has changed."

"Great. So that was your message? Letting me know where my equipment is?"

"Yep. Saria already gave her message, so…Ruto?"

The slender Zora appeared out of nowhere, and Nabooru vanished. I sighed. "What's with the disappearing acts?"

Ruto chuckled. "One of the perks of being a sage. Two thousand years have passed in Hyrule."

I groaned. "Are you planning on keeping me here for two _million_ years? No wonder Hyrule's changed; you guys are keeping me here for an entire dynasty!"

"It's not as bad as you think. Be grateful; we're allowing you to skip the Flood. Ganondorf manages to turn the whole world into one, giant ocean. And I just _know_ you love water…"

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, okay. I'm glad I don't have to return to a water-world. How long am I supposed to be here, though?"

"Three thousand years. There's a new queen of Hyrule, too."

"What's your message?"

"Don't die."

I stared at her blankly. "Excuse me?"

"When we send you back to the mortal realm, do your best to keep from getting killed again, otherwise Ganondorf will come right back from the dead. Again."

"I wasn't planning on dying again, anyway. Taking a sword through the heart was bad enough the first time."

Ruto grinned, then disappeared, the Sage of Fire replacing her. Darunia stared down at me, then shrugged. "The Hero's Shadow took the Dragon Sword and concealed it within the Shadow Temple. Only he can access it, so your priority upon returning to the mortal realm will be to locate Sheik."

"Got it. Thanks."

Darunia nodded, then he, too, disappeared in order to be replaced by Impa. She was as stern and intimidating as ever. "Rauru was wrong. Seven knights are still alive. Amur, Linna, Rassey, Cassius, Jaralt, Leo, and Roderik."

"Thank you," I told her sincerely.

"The fortress will need to be repaired."

She vanished, and I found myself face-to-face with Rauru. I growled, my hands sparking with flames as a warning, and the Sage of Light have me a look of disdain before stepping back to stand on his pedestal. "The new hero is also named Link, and in his era is known as the Hero of Twilight, to distinguish him from the first Link. He has no idea who his real parents are."

"And I needed to know this…_why_, exactly?"

"His father is Dalibor Nikola Hyrule. The brother of the king."

"So you're telling me that one of the Link's descendants becomes king of Hyrule, and he has a brother who fathers the next hero? That's very interesting and all, but I _still_ don't see why I needed to know that."

"The Hero of Twilight needs to know the true identity of his father. However, Dalibor Nikola faked his own death and now goes by the alias 'Auru.' He did this to countermand the law in order to place his niece on the throne. His reasons for this are still unknown."

"His alias sounds similar to your name."

"He has a close affiliation with the sages. It is almost time."

In a haze of light, all six sages were suddenly there, each of them standing on their pedestals. I abruptly realized that I was standing in the exact center of the gigantic Triforce symbol.

Saria pointed to me just as I felt a burning sensation; in the next instant, strength coursed through me, and I gasped as I was blinded by a golden light. In the next moment, everything became cold, and I opened my eyes to see an endless field of white.

_Snow_. There was a steady throbbing in my left hand, and I glanced down, seeing with some happiness the glowing, gold outline of the Triforce of Power. _Okay. Three thousand years have passed. Am I on Snowpeak?_

"Halt!" a youthful voice commanded suddenly.

I whirled around, my left hand going to my shoulder reflexively before I remembered that I was unarmed. However, the young man who was walking towards me most certainly _wasn't_, his sword held loosely, yet confidently, with all the grace and ease of one who has seen many battles. He also seemed guarded, his sapphire-blue eyes fixed on me coldly with a focus that reminded me of a wild beast.

I tucked both hands into my pockets quickly before he could see the Triforce, stepping back a pace. "Please don't come closer."

I noticed the symbol that was carved into the base of his sword. Amur Kao's symbol. He was carrying a blade that had been forged by Amur. The young man frowned at me, but stopped his approach, looking confused. "Who are you?"

"Merek Forthwind. Who are _you_?" I figured that using my alias would be the best course of action. Three thousand years may have passed, but the legend of the Dragon Knight may still be alive, despite how unlikely that was.

The man was silent for a moment, looking me up and down warily, then he took another step forward. "Link, Hero of Twilight."

_Nice timing, sages._ I grinned, noticing the distinctive shadow of the knights' fortress behind him. "Nice to meet you."

"How is it that you aren't freezing to death?"

I glanced down at myself, suddenly remembering that I was missing my shirt, thanks to Nabooru. "Uh…I'm…unique?"

He didn't look amused. "There aren't many who can make the journey across the mountains. Fewer still who could do it without the proper equipment and attire."

"I guess I'm pretty special, then. Guess what, kid? I didn't make the journey. I was teleported here by a crazy, green-haired midget."

"_What_?!"

"It's a long story. I'm assuming that you know Amur Kao, judging by your sword."

Now he _really_ looked shocked. "Who _are_ you?" the young man asked, his voice a mixture of disbelief and trepidation.

I showed him the glowing mark of the Triforce of Power. "Tannin Starflare, Dragon Knight."

"You're dead!" he exclaimed.

I growled. "Oh, really?" I stalked closer to him, ignoring his sword as I raised one hand to his face. With a snap of my fingers, my entire arm became wreathed in flame. He flinched, his eyes growing wide, and droplets of sweat began beading along his brow, but I could tell that he didn't dare retreat. I smirked, lowering my hand and extinguishing the fire. "Was that proof enough of my status as one of the living, or do I need to whack you one?"

This new Link seemed bewildered, quite frankly. "Um…how did you…how did you do that?"

I snorted, pushing past him and heading toward the large, imposing shadow of the fortress. "Magic, kid."

I heard his feet crunching through the snow, then he was abruptly in front of me, sword pointing at my throat. "You're not going anywhere until I'm sure you're not a threat."

I laughed. "Oh, don't worry, kid, I'm a threat all right, but only to those people that I don't like. You're pretty safe for now."

"Are you really who you say you are?" he asked skeptically. "I thought the Dragon Knight wore invincible, shimmering blue armor and carried a blade that was equal to the Master Sword."

"You know the legends well, then. Here's the thing…because I died, my stuff was taken and hidden away somewhere. I've been dead for three thousand years, so you can't expect me to look every inch the legend. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to talk to Amur." Again, I brushed past him and headed towards the fortress, dodging when he tried to block my path again. He looked frustrated, and I grinned. "Don't try to stop me, kid. I could always imprison you within a wall of fire, so don't tick me off."

"I'm coming with you, then."

"No offense, but you're kinda useless. Amur doesn't need your protection. The boy was already killing when he was only thirteen years old, and he is pretty much an even match for my strength. However, if you insist…"

I continued on my path, ignoring him. The kid was starting to creep me out, what with how much he reminded me of Link. Hero of Time's descendant, indeed. Now to figure out how I was going to locate Sheik…

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*The names of both Roderik and Jaralt came from Roderik of FanFiction. He's been quite the inspiration to me. :o)

*The whole thing about Auru being the Hero of Twilight's father and also being the king's brother and thus Princess Zelda's uncle was all my idea, and I would appreciate it if none of you stole that idea. :) Auru's "real" name is also mine. XD

A/N: Sorry for the sheer randomness of this oneshot, but Tannin dies in _Allegiance_, and I didn't want for any of my readers to kill me for killing him. Namely, RedNemi, because I know that she fell in love with Tannin while reading _Dragon Sword_. XD


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